NATION [Derived Headline]

NATION [Derived Headline]

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ARIZ. GOVERNOR MEETING ON GAY-REFUSAL BILL

PHOENIX - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will hold a series of private
meetings with opponents and proponents of legislation adding
protections for people who assert their religious beliefs in
refusing service to gays.

Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder says the governor will spend today
gathering information about Senate Bill 1062 as she considers
signing it into law or a veto. She has until Saturday to act.

The governor returned from five days in Washington, D.C.,
Tuesday. The state became embroiled in a national debate over
religious and gay rights in her absence.

The bill allows business owners to cite sincerely held religious
beliefs to fend off discrimination lawsuits.

SALES OF NEW HOMES SOAR

WASHINGTON - Sales of new homes rebounded in January to the
fastest pace in more than five years, offering hopes that housing
could be regaining momentum after a slowdown last year caused by
rising interest rates.

Sales of new homes increased 9.6 percent in January to a
seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000, the Commerce Department
reported today. That was the fastest pace since July 2008.

The rise came as a surprise to economists who had been
forecasting a sales drop in January, in part because of a belief
that activity would be held back by bad winter storms in many parts
of the country.

Sales had fallen 3.8 percent in December and 1.8 percent in
November.

The median price of a new home sold in January was up 3.4 percent
from a year ago to $260,100.

PBS REPORTER'S ARM AMPUTATED

LOS ANGELES - PBS science correspondent Miles O'Brien said
Tuesday his left arm was amputated above the elbow after an
apparently minor injury put his life in jeopardy.

In a blog post on his personal website Tuesday, which was
verified by PBS, Mr. O'Brien recounted the Feb. 12 blow to his arm
he suffered while on assignment in Asia and the medical emergency
that followed.

He was diagnosed with "acute compartment syndrome," Mr. O'Brien
said, in which blocked blood flow in an enclosed space in the body
can cause life-threatening consequences.

Part of his arm was removed in a choice between "a life and a
limb," Mr. O'Brien said, quoting his doctor. Mr. O'Brien has
continued working despite the ordeal, PBS spokeswoman Anne Bell
said. The former CNN science and space correspondent covers science
for "PBS NewsHour."

According to his blog, Mr. O'Brien was securing cases filled with
camera gear on a cart as he wrapped up a reporting trip to Japan
and the Philippines. One of the cases fell onto his left forearm,
he wrote, adding, "It hurt, but I wasn't all '911' about it."

FAMILY SUES AFTER PET RAT CAUSED BOY'S DEATH

SAN DIEGO - A San Diego family is suing Petco after the death of
their 10-year-old son from a bacterial infection they say he
contracted from his pet rat. …